All About Suu
by Kuroneko6
Summary: A request from kikigirl4321. At a young age Suu has a talent for cooking. Read as she is signed up for the Elementary School Cook-off and how she creates the perfect cake thanks to her close bond to family and friends


**This is for kikigirl1234 who requested a story about Suu. This is AU where all the charas are human with the main focus on Suu.**

**Disclaimer – Me's does not own Shugo Chara. A request from kikigirl1234 that I wrote in my own style. **

**ENJOY!**

It was early Saturday morning in the Hinamori household. In her room, Suu was already wide awake, getting ready for her morning walk around the block before school. Dressed in her simple, vibrant green dress that draped down to her knees, dark sandals with straps that wrapped around her legs and her signature white hat, Suu slowly and quietly crept out of her room and made her way silently down the stairs.

No one was up at this hour which Suu enjoyed. There was no doubt in her mind that she didn't adore her large family, every so often it was nice to have some peace and quiet.

Double checking she had her keys in her dress pocket, Suu gently opened and closed the front door. Turning to the beauty that is nature, Suu inhaled deeply the sweet scent of the flowers and crisp morning air. Winter wasn't due for another month or so, but on some days you could feel it wouldn't be too much longer.

Suu wasn't really into the weather. It was more of the different seasons she was interested in. In school, Suu was the head chief for the cooking department so majority of her time would be spent in the kitchen. She was only 12, but her cooking skills far surpassed the likes of many.

With the reminder of her skills, Suu began walking energetically. Her head was full of many different recipes, one of which she was currently trying to perfect as an assignment. The cooking department asked Suu if she would piece together a new cake that would knock the socks off the judges in the annual 'Elementary School Cook Off'. This was the first year Suu has entered and she wants to show the judges exactly what she can do and more.

The blonde's first stop was to the old woman who lived down the street. She owned her own vegetable garden and a few fruit plants, including trees. When Suu and her family were younger, the very same old woman would look after them. This was only when their parents were working late nights and wouldn't be home in time to pick them up from school.

She was Suu's role model. It was her who taught Suu how to cook when she realised Suu had the natural talent for it one day. Many days Suu spent with the old woman to learn the art of cooking and Suu couldn't have been happier.

It wasn't long until Suu spotted the familiar apple tree that sat out the front of the woman's garden. Su constantly climbed that tree to eat the delicious apples or use them for cooking. Under that tree was the woman Suu admired. She was relaxing, reading one of her large books that took you from a world of greed and hunger to the most beautiful anyone could imagine. The old woman wrote it herself back in the day, and she always said to Suu, "Even though times are tough and you may feel like giving up, there is always beauty everywhere you look. You just need to open your eyes and see the world through another perspective." From that time forward Suu opened her eyes and saw the world what she knew it should be.

"Granny Chio, good morning" Suu said with a smile on her face as she approached Chio.

"Oh my. Good morning Suu. Here to pick up those fruit?" Suu nodded.

"Yes thank you. They're for the assignment." Chio smiled and stood up. She may be old but she was fit as ever.

Suu followed Chio as the woman led her around to the back garden. Chio had one of the largest gardens in the neighbourhood. She was one of the major fruit and vegetable shop owners before the larger shops were built. Now she just grows the crops for friends, family and herself.

Patches of lettuce, cabbage, carrots, eggplant, rhubarb, you name it, it was there. Apple trees, pear trees and banana trees were neatly planted along the border of Chio's property, and grapes climbing the vast wooden pillar. Beside one of the wooden pillars was a large basket filled to the brim with different kinds of fruit.

"So tell me Suu, what are you planning to create?" asked Chio as she handed the basket to Suu.

"Well, it's an assignment…sort of. The school signed me up for the Elementary School Cook-off and requested me to create something new." Chio nodded and patted Suu's neat blonde hair.

"Something new is hard to create, even when given the basics. Remember, just because there's something out there, doesn't mean you can't transform it into something new." Suu gazed sceptically at Chio.

"But it's still someone else's idea" she argued.

Chio nodded and began walking back to the front garden. "Yes that may be so, but to change it to suit your liking is more than acceptable. Sometimes you'll find the majority who try the new and improved like it better than the original." Chio laughed softly as she recognised the face Suu makes when she wants to do something but she feels she can't.

Chio gently pushes Suu towards the open gate. "Don't worry. You'll know what to do when the time is right."

Suu waited a couple of seconds outside Chio's property; not for extra guidance, no. She really was considering Chio's advice, despite her previous argument. _'Transform another to make it my own? But where to start? And with which cake?'_ So many questions danced around Suu's head but no answer followed them. She was going to have to cut her walk short today for a change in order for her to research on the perfect cake.

Suu walked to Seiyo Academy with three large bags full of a combination of small, large and old cookbooks. In her spare time Suu was going to spend it reading each and every book. By doing this, she's arming herself with as much knowledge of every different type of cake there was out there. After that she'd choose the best one as a base and change everything so make it her own. "A chief with a plan never gives up" was another one of Chio's sayings that Suu says to herself in the hardest of times.

Inside the school grounds Suu waved goodbye to her two older sisters, Ran and Miki, and her cousin, Amu. Amu was the oldest and as such she was in charge of watching over the family. Amu and Ran had their own part time jobs straight after school in order to keep money in the bank; Miki is the town's leading artist, selling off her least favourite artworks. Suu is in charge of cooking and cleaning the house while Ami and Dia don't have to worry about anything yet.

"I'll leave you guys to it" said Suu as she drifted off towards the kitchens. There was time before classes start so she was going to spend it preparing herself for later. Ami and Dia waved Suu off, wishing her the best of luck with her cake research.

Inside the kitchens, on the far right corner was Suu's very own working worktop. She chose that one in particular so she was next to the window. She likes it near the window for the warm air that flows in during the summer and the cool refreshing wind in winter. Yes it was back to front but that's how Suu worked, especially when it came to cooking. She used the seasons to inspire her cooking. Hence why she's near the window.

The three large bags were thrown onto the worktop. Suu let out a sigh of relief as the weight vanished. The books may be valuable to her cooking research but she was only human and the bag weighs a tonne.

Suu starting pull out book by book from each of the three bags. Inside were books Chio gave her as the years passed by. It was Chio's idea to give Suu the books. Many of them were old; back to when Chio herself was young. The newer books were large, over 1000 pages, but they included recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and extras. The older books from Chio were smaller and worn out, the tell-tale sign they've been used many times.

With all her books stacked neatly on the worktop, Suu picked up her empty bags and placed them inside the lockers proved beside the door. Class was about to start and as soon as Suu opened the door she bumped into Dia.

"G-Gomennasai Dia." Dia fixed the yellow diamonds on her headband and shook her head.

"No it's alright."

"What's wrong?" Dia looked down the hallway to the teachers' staffroom. Suu followed her and spotted Miki peeping out of the doorway. "Miki?"

Said girl jumped at her name being called but calmed down when she realised it was Suu who was calling her. Looking around her one last time she quickly ran to Suu and Dia. "You gotta hide me!" she begged, grasping onto Suu's shoulders.

Suu dragged Miki into the kitchens. "You should be fine in here" she said closing the door. Miki sighed in relief.

"Is it Yoru again?" asked Dia. Miki nodded looking around the room, still expecting Yoru to jump out of anywhere.

The bell though the school, signalling the start of rollcall. A childish yet bold laughter filled the kitchens. Miki, Suu and Dia froze at the voice; a voice they all knew too well and could pick it out from a mile away. "How nice of you nya." Miki, Suu and Dia looked to the top of the lockers when Suu had previously placed her bags.

"But…but you weren't there a minute ago!" cried Suu in surprise. Dia tried not to laugh, but a small giggle came out.

"Suu-neechan, the bell rang. We need to get to class." A cheeky smile was on Dia's lips. Suu couldn't help to giggle a little as well.

"Yeah you're right." Suu and Miki began walking out the door but Miki grabbed their arms, falling to her knees.

"Please you can't leave me here with him!" she begged.

"Sorry Miki" apologised Suu. "Dia's right. We have class now and if we're late Amu-chan will be angry with us." Miki frowned at her sisters before reluctantly letting them ago; watching them as they quickly ran down the hallway to their classrooms. The artist could have sworn she heard small laughter coming from them as they ran. She scowled and stood to her feet.

Miki looked over she shoulder at the cheeky smile of Yoru's. _'Kami help me.'_

Recess was first up and Suu couldn't wait to start on her research. As calmly as she could the blonde made her way to the kitchens. She could just see herself sitting at her worktop all day if she could, picking out the right ingredients for the perfects bases along with the icing and decorating.

"Hey! Suu!" Suu looked behind her to see one of her friends. His name was Diasuke and he also shared Suu's passion for cooking.

Suu stopped and waited for him to catch up. Truth be told Suu held a small crush for her friend. She couldn't help it but that's how it goes. "Hey, were ya going?"

Suu blushed slightly. "T-The school signed me up for the cook-off and I was on my way to the kitchens." Diasuke smiled.

"Mind if I join you?" Suu shook her head.

"No, n-not at all." The two began walking again towards the kitchens. Diasuke was, in a way, Suu's apprentice when it came to cooking. He wasn't a great chief so when he saw how well Suu cooked he begged for her to teach him. It took a lot of compliments about Suu's cooking until she finally agreed to teach him all she could.

"So what are you planning for the cook-off?" said Diasuke as he opened the door to the kitchens for Suu.

"Well, I was…AH!" Suu ran over to her worktop, her empty worktop. All her books were gone! "Where are they!" Alarmed, Diasuke ran over to Suu.

"What's gone?"

"My books! Granny Chio's books!" Diasuke knew of Chio through Suu and he knew exactly how important the old woman was to Suu and her books.

Diasuke gently grasped onto Suu's arms and spun her around to look at him. "We'll find the books. I promise." Suu was on the verge of crying. How could she have just left them there? "Listen to me Suu; I'll go ask Kuro-sensei if he's seen the books. You stay here and look around. Maybe someone just moved them out of the way." Suu wiped way the tears threatening to spill and nodded.

Diasuke quickly ran out of the kitchens, heading for the playground. That's where Kuro-sensei would be. Suu on the other hand tried to compose herself and think rationally. She knows she put the books on her worktop. Maybe it's like Daisuke said, maybe someone just put them away so they wouldn't be stolen or anything.

Immediately Suu began looking for the precious cook books. She looked everywhere in the kitchens; in the presses where the school put their cook books, the lockers and inside every worktop presses. They weren't anywhere. Suu began to panic. Chio trusted her with those books. How could someone be so cruel as to steel cook books? Suu felt like crying again, but she tried not to. Diasuke would be back at any second with her books. She just knew it.

Not a moment later Diasuke walked slowly into the kitchens. Suu's hopes were crushed as she saw Diasuke with his head down, looking at his feet. "Well?"

Diasuke shook his head. "Kuro-sensei said he never saw any books on your worktop this morning…Sorry." That was it. The tears wouldn't stop coming from Suu's eyes as she collapsed onto her knees. Diasuke felt helpless, worthless, but sat beside Suu and let her cry on his shoulder. "I'm sorry" he said again.

The end of the day was the most painful time of all for Suu. She couldn't believe that Chio's books had been stolen straight after she left the room. There just wasn't anything that could explain it. Suu was devastated compared to this morning. Walking ahead of her was Ami and Dia who were both worried about Suu. She hadn't said a word to them since this morning and that wasn't like her.

Ami and Dia tried to make Suu laugh by pulling faces, telling jokes, even recalling the funniest memories. None of it would work though. Suu was so attached to the cook books Chio gave her, not even the smallest things could make her even smile. This in turn depressed Ami and Dia. Not another word was passed between the family.

Every day after school, Suu, Ami and Dia waited for Miki at the pedestrian crossing. She wouldn't be too much longer with Yoru right behind her no doubt. Like this morning, Yoru was constantly by Miki's side. What surprised them was when Miki showed up Yoru was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Yoru?" asked Ami, looking around for said troublemakers. Miki shrugged.

"Not sure." When the road was clear to go they continued on their way home. Miki was unusually quiet today. Most of the time she'd complain about how Yoru keeps stalking her: even though he'd be right beside her. Miki would also boast about her latest artwork and how she got the inspiration. There was none of that. Nothing was being said between the family, except for Dia humming her favourite song as she skipped. Ami began to worry. A call to her older sister was in order when they got home.

Suu went straight to her room the second they returned home. Homework needed to be done before Suu went to see Chio. Yes she was going to explain to Chio about what happened to the books and how Suu couldn't find them. Suu just couldn't leave it in the dark and pretend nothing ever happened. The woman would figure it out sooner or later.

The homework wasn't all that hard, very simple actually; Suu was just stalling herself from facing Chio. Downstairs, Ran was getting worried about Suu and Miki as well. She was home earlier than normal because her shift was suddenly changed to tonight. It was a last second decision but it was necessary. Ran got especially worried when it was Ami who opened the front door and not Suu.

"Is Suu going to be okay?" asked Ran worriedly as she unpacked her school bag.

"I'm not sure" answered Ami who was helping Dia with her homework. For a junior student with easy homework she sure did take her time. "She's been like this since the end of school as far as I know." Ran gazed up the stairs, knowing better than comforting Suu.

"Have you rang Amu-chan?" Ami nodded.

"Yeah, she'll be home around dinner." Dinner was only two hours away and before Ran could ask, "Miki's making dinner tonight." Ran nodded then sighed. It seemed when Suu was having a bad day so was everyone else.

"Done!" Dia slammed her pencil down onto the table and quickly left to run up the stairs. She paid no attention to the shouts coming from Ami and Ran to leave Suu alone for the time being.

Dia knocked on Suu's bedroom door. Technically it was Suu and Ami's room. When there was no answer Dia knocked again and waited. Still there was no answer so she decided to have a peep inside. Slowly she opened the door to see Suu with her head resting on her left arm, her pen in her right hand and homework still on the desk. Dia closed the door as quietly has she would not wake Suu, knowing she had a rough day.

Ran came upstairs seconds after, only to have Dia pull her back towards the stairs with her finger on her lips, signalling to be quiet. Ran nodded and allowed Dia to pull her back downstairs.

An hour and a half went by quicker than anyone expected and with dinner nearly ready Ran went back upstairs to wake Suu.

"Tadaima!" rang through the house as Amu returned home.

"Okairinasai!" yelled Dia as she proceeded to tackle her cousin into a fierce hug. "Ran's gone to wake Suu, Ami's having a bath and Miki's making dinner" she said before Amu could ask how everyone was.

Dia moved to the side to allow Amu further inside and noticed Ikuto and Yoru silently arguing outside. "Give them a minute Dia; they're here for a reason." Dia raised an eyebrow. Wasn't it when you went somewhere it was for a reason anyway? Shrugging it off, Dia left the front door open from them.

Moments later Suu came yawning down the stairs rubbing her eyes at the same time. "There you are Suu" said Amu, giving Suu a tight embrace. "I have something for you." Amu signalled for Ikuto and Yoru to step forward.

There was a same silence that was soon broken by Ikuto smacking his younger brother upside the head. Yoru, rubbing his swore head, thrust forward a plastic bag. "The rest are the door nya." Suu was speechless. Sticking out from the top of the bag was one of Suu's large cookbooks.

"What's going on?" asked Miki as she came into the room with a spatula in her hand. "Hey sunshine" she said to Suu, and glared at Yoru.

Ikuto grabbed his brother's identical hair to his own. "What do you say?" Yoru let out small grunts and whines from Ikuto pulling his hair. "Well?"

"Sorry…nya."

"Don't do it again." Ikuto let go of Yoru's hair and pushed him towards the door. He approached an ecstatic Suu and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "Sorry about Yoru, you know how he is. He won't do it again." With that, he gave a hug and kiss to Amu and pushed Yoru out the door, soon following.

Amu gently ruffled Suu's hair. "So what now?"

Suu couldn't stop smiling or giggling. "Now I finish what I started."

The rest of the week flew by. Suu was making tremendous progress with her cake. She found the prefect sponge base that was light, fluffy and delicious; she decided on using strawberries, kiwi's and bananas as her decorations; now all that was needed was icing.

There were so many different types of icing to try, Suu just couldn't pick one. In the school kitchens, Suu was reading over the types of icing she could use: but which to pick?

A knock came to the kitchen door that made Suu look up slightly confused. "Come in?" Who would knock on the door to the school's kitchens?

Her question was answered when Diasuke came into the room. "Hey Suu. How's the cake coming along?" Suu smiled.

"Great! I just need to find the perfect icing." Diasuke chuckled. Everyone knew there was nothing perfect in the world, but with Suu's amasing cooking, he could make an exception.

"Can I suggest one?" he asked, taking a seat from the side of the room and sitting next to Suu. "It's an icing my mother always made for her cakes."

This caught Suu's interest. Diasuke never talked about his mother. "What kind?" Diasuke smiled brightly.

"It's chocolate! Mother made it in such a way that it would melt in your mouth and take your imagination to a world of nothing but chocolate." Suu giggled as his enthusiasm. Diasuke laughed along with her.

Suu thought about it for a moment. Chocolate would go really well with the strawberries, kiwis maybe not, but the bananas would work with it as well. Just what to do about the kiwis? Suu brought out her workbook with various diagrams of the cakes Suu has baked and ones for the future.

Curiously, Diasuke looked at the cakes too. He was impressed. The drawing wasn't bad but the way Suu's arranged the fruit on the cake was amasing. "So which way have you decided?" he asked.

Suu stayed silent for a minute, deciding on how to arrange the fruit with the chocolate. "Kiwi may not go well with the chocolate icing, but maybe I can have the kiwis decorating _around_ the cake instead of on top. With the chocolate, I can have it half way down the cake with the kiwis just resting underneath; that gives me more room to decorate the strawberries and bananas." Suu pulled out her pencil from her bag and began scribble down her ideas for the cake.

Sensing Suu was in the zone, Diasuke left the room without disturbing Suu from her work.

Suu spent weeks perfecting the chocolate icing recipe that Diasuke gave her. There was only one week left until the cook-off and so far Suu couldn't get the icing right. On the weekends Diasuke would come by and help by tasting the icing. Every time Suu tried, she couldn't make it exactly like Diasuke's late mother.

"It's no use" wailed Suu. "I'll never get it to be perfect." Diasuke chuckled.

"It's okay Suu" he comforted. "Mother made some alteration to it that we can't figure out. Maybe that was the whole point. It was her recipe so maybe she didn't want anyone to know the ingredient." Suu stared out the window.

"It's strange" she murmured. Diasuke raised an eyebrow in question. "Why would someone do that?"

"She didn't want anyone to know" Diasuke argued. Suu shook her head and continued to gaze out the window. "Well it's getting late and my aunt is expecting me home soon." There was no answer from Suu as she was deep in thought. Sighing in defeat, Diasuke grabbed his wallet and keys before heading out the door, wondering if Suu would figure it out.

Suu laid various ingredients out onto the counter, examining them each individually. Which of them could it have been? It could well have been a couple of them, or even just one. There were so many options but which was the right one?

Suu mulled this over for a long time, working it out like you would with a mathematic equation. All she needed was the right equation and she was sure she'd have it! _Remember, just because there's something out there, doesn't mean you can't transform it into something new. _Granny Chio? Suu looked around the kitchen. No one was there. _'…change it to suit your liking…'_ Suu would have to make sure to give credit to Chio and also to Diasuke. Without them she never would have figured it out.

It doesn't matter how Diasuke's late mother made the chocolate icing, Suu was going to use it as a base and make it her own.

The Elementary School Cook-off held fierce opponents. The idea of the competition was to create a three course meal within the time allocated for each dish. Suu blew the competition away with her famous Surprise Onigiri for starters; many did traditional Japanese cuisine for their main but Suu's was spaghetti bolanase and this delighted the judges. The only part that let Suu down with the main was that her sauce was slightly too runny for the meal. And finally it all came down to the cake Suu had spent a long time on researching, baking and modifying. She poured her heart and soul into this cake and she was sure it would win.

Suu's cake comprised of the basic ingredients for sponge cake with a tiny splash of vanilla extract for flavour; the chocolate icing was spread evenly on the top and around the sides of the cake. Kiwis decorated the bottom of the cake being held onto it by thick vanilla icing; strawberries and bananas were arranged on the top in a flower pattern with the banana circles in the middle and the strawberries around them. At a last minute decision, Suu sifted some flour on top of the cake to add to the presentation. It was a long shot and time was just up.

Each competitor brought a slice of cake of each of the judges then stepped away from them, waiting for the verdict. To Suu there was a long silence. Everything the judges said went straight through her. She heard not a word until it came to her cake. It was nerve wracking to see the judges examine every possible aspect of the dish. Suu prayed to everything that the judges would at least like it.

They each took and bite and one by one they moaned in delight. "This is delicious" murmured one of the judges.

"It's so fluffy and light" whispered another.

The main judge who sat in the middle motioned for Suu to step forward. She stepped forward as told, not expecting to notice the smiles on their faces. The main judge said, "Suu. Tell us about this cake." Suu took a deep breath and told them her story; of how the school signed her up, and receiving help from Chio, her family and her friend Diasuke. The judge nodded. "So in a way, this cake…"

"It comes from the heart!" Suu boldly interrupted, holding her hand to her heart. "I couldn't have made this on my own if it wasn't for the support of my family and friends." The judges couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm and pride.

One of the female judges held up a bite of the cake. "How on earth did you manage to create such a delicious icing? It melts in your mouth and takes you on a wild ride to a world full of chocolate." The judges nodded and murmured in agreement. Suu couldn't believe it. Without even trying she recreated the icing recipe that Diasuke's mother had used before her passing.

"It's a secret" Suu smiled brightly. The judges laughed and continued to test the rest of the competitor's entries.

After much decision making on the judges side, in the end they awarded Suu with the 1st place ribbon and a cheque for the school of 500,000 yen. To Suu, it wasn't about the money. She just wanted that challenge to make something new; and that's what she did with the help of those around her.

**Hope you liked it kikigril4321! It took me a while to get started and not long to get finished. **

**Feedback would be nice. I'm looking to improve on my writing skills and as much help as possible would be appreciated. It can be in the form of how I structure the sentences, symbolism, anything. Punctuation even (I know I have problems with that so help me yea?)**

**And sorry again kikigirl4321 for all those times when I tried to upload it and failed to complete the requirements.**


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